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Companies have an Attitude problem when it comes to Vehicle Accident Costs14/03/2012

Fleet managers who focus on changing driver attitudes will see their vehicle accidents reduce as well as enjoying a drop in the workload associated with sorting out the vehicle, driver, insurance, hire car company, repairer and all associated paperwork.

According to Graham Hurdle, the effect of poor driver attitude on vehicle accidents is still not taken seriously enough by companies, however by addressing it they would see immediate benefits.

“When we view blameworthy accident data from our clients, we can instantly see which ones are almost definitely down to a poor driver attitude, and could have been easily avoided,” explained Graham.

“Rear end shunts, reversing into fixed objects, left hand scrapes, damage from being parked too closely to other vehicles. The list goes on of incidents that would never happen if the driver adopted a different attitude – being more careful, not following other vehicles so closely, allowing more space when turning, parking considerately and generally respecting their company-provided vehicle.”

Graham explains that if an employee behaves carelessly around the office, perhaps breaking the photocopier or their laptop due to obvious misuse or neglect, there would be huge disapproval. But put them in a twenty thousand pound car and then hear that they’ve reversed into a wall and it seems acceptable.

“There are a few oddities about the culture of driving at work,” said Graham. “First of all, the company car is frequently the only company asset handed over without any form of training. Secondly, damage to that asset is deemed inevitable at some point by a proportion of users, and culturally managers are more likely to be up in arms about a member of staff who has dropped and smashed a box of company products, or damaged a two hundred pound exhibition stand, than they are about a dent in a door panel costing far more.

“Many drivers who have accidents are able enough to avoid having them. Yet they drive too closely to other cars even though they know it’s dangerous, they push through tight gaps even though they know it’s a bit of a gamble and they take their eyes off the road to adjust their SatNav or glance at a message on their mobile phone even though they know that’s highly irresponsible.

“While their employers allow this behaviour to continue, they also continue to pick up the bill. But using online systems like ours you can change driver attitude through regular web-based training as well as begin to change the culture of the organisation to one that does not accept the impact that vehicle accidents have on the company’s profits, and sometime staff bonuses, caused by complacent and negligent drivers.”